Results for National Reserve Bank of Tonga

The Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga Siosi Mafi left the bank on 5 July after 10 years as Governor.

Although Tonga’s economy continues to be weak, there are some positive indicators, according to a market update on July 1, by the Deputy Governor of Tonga’s National Reserve Bank, Jessie Cocker, who met with senior regional officers of ANZ Bank on June 28.

Although Tonga lacks real statistics on the economic cost of domestic violence, the cost of the crime to the country is huge. Awareness is the key, and it is not easy to estimate the cost of family violence unless we all come out and talk about it, Siosi Mafi, the Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga said on April 17.

Foreign Reserves held by the National Reserve Bank of Tonga rose by $3.6 million, from $253.7 million in November to $257.3 million in December, or 9.3 months of imports.

A continue decline of Tonga's foreign currency earnings has stifled the growth of the Tongan economy, the Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga, Mrs Siosi Mafi said this morning, May 31.

The Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga, Mrs Siosi Cocker Mafi, stated that at its meeting on 28 July 2009 the Reserve Bank Board noted that economic activity continued to slow down due to the impact of the global financial crises and contributing to this slow down is the decline in domestic credit growth. Domestic banks are tightening their lending criteria due to high non performing loans.

The official Foreign Reserves held by the National Reserve Bank of Tonga in September 2004 was $79 million, an amount equivalent to 4.8 months of imports of goods.

Afu‘alo Matoto has taken over the leadership role of the TDB at a time when the Bank is expected to play a major role in reviving the Tongan economy, by providing capital for the development of the agricultural, fisheries and tourism industries - areas that urgently need development to pull the country out of its current economic recession. But he says Tonga needs to first resolve its leadership crisis: “We need to crystallise our position and to take action.” By Pesi Fonua. Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 14, no. 1, January 1999.